Sections 1-3, pages 3 - 25 Summary

The very first section of Baltasar & Blimunda, by Jose Saramago introduces the background to the story; the pregnancy (or lack thereof) of Queen Maria Ana Josefa and King Joao the Fifth of Portugal, in the year 1711. What follows in a twisting series of events is the foundation of the monastery at Mafra, Portugal, in honour of the future child of the couple. These events provide the backdrop for the author to describe the love story between our protagonists Baltisar and Blimunda, and their unpredictable friendship with one of the fathers of aviation, Padre Bartolomeu do Gusmao.

The first three sections concerns the upcoming pregnancy of the Queen, the pact that the King makes with the monks of St Francis, and the atmosphere in Lisbon at the time.

In the first and untitled section, the Queen Maria Ana is getting ready for...